Circuit Lake

Electronic Project and Circuit Collection

RFID Cat Door

02/22/2012 Category: Arduino, Detector, Miscellaneous, Project, Sensor, Wireless

This smart cat door/flap helps you prevent unwanted cat to enter your house. It can only be opened by the cat/animal that wears the appropriate RFID tag. Main component of project including Arduino for main processor, Hall-effect sensor, Sharp GP2D12 infrared proximity sensor, 5V RF reader module, and RF tag. The project has custom made antenna large enough to function as a gate, which makes it easy for the animal to activate and quite reliable.

RFID Cat Door


When a cat walks up to the gate, RF tag gets read within about 4 inches. If it has appropriate RFID tag, the door unlocks and a light comes on. The timer in the system will ensures that door stays unlocked long enough to give cat a chance to respond. Cat pushes open the flap and enters. Flap falls back, activates Hall Effect sensor, and the door locks. If your cat wants to go outside, an infrared proximity sensor detects the presence of an animal if within about 10 inches and unlocks the door.